Microfabricated device with hydrophilic microwells and hydrophobic interstitial space

Abstract

A method of modifying a microfabricated chip made of a hydrophobic material is provided. The microfabricated chip has a top surface including a plurality of microwells each having a bottom and a side wall, and interstitial space between the microwells. First, the ed chip is surface treated to render the surface of the bottom and side wall of the microwells and the interstitial space hydrophilic. Then, the surface of the interstitial space is treated to render it hydrophobic. A microfabricated chip having hydrophilic microwells and hydrophobic interstitial space is also provided.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 842,456, filed May 2, 2019, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.BACKGROUND[0002]Microfluidic devices have been exploited in the drug discovery industry and for improving experimentation in a variety of areas in biology, such as cell culture. Advantages of micro analysis systems include reduced sample size, precise micro environmental control, and parallel operation in a single device yielding the ability to perform high throughput analyses.[0003]Due to the microscale size of the fluid channels and reaction chambers on microfluidic devices, complex peripheral equipment is often required to manipulate the fluid flow on such devices. Capillary microfluidics can deliver liquids in a pre-programmed manner without peripheral equipment by exploiting capillary effects rendered by the surface chemistry of microchanne...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present patent provides a method for modifying a microfabricated chip with microwells having a hydrophobic surface. The method involves treating the chip to render the surface of the microwells and the interstitial space hydrophilic, and then selectively treating the interstitial space to render it hydrophobic. The method can be used to culture and screen for biological entities of interest using the modified microfabricated chip. The technical effects of the patent include improved cell culture and screening using a modified microfabricated chip with hydrophobic microwells and a hydrophilic interstitial space, and the ability to selectively modify the interstitial space to render it hydrophobic.

Problems solved by technology

Due to the microscale size of the fluid channels and reaction chambers on microfluidic devices, complex peripheral equipment is often required to manipulate the fluid flow on such devices.

With platforms comprising a high-density array of microwells and with no microchannel interconnections, loading the array of wells and keeping the contents of the wells isolated from each other can be a challenge.

In particular, if the platform is fabricated by a hydrophobic material, such as a hydrophobic plastic, loading aqueous solutions into the array of microwells may be impeded by surface tension and trapped air in the microwells.

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